| The first step to entering a career in cognitive | | | | will play an important role. You will be mentored |
| psychology is learning how to become a cognitive | | | | by faculty members and work towards a |
| psychologist and determining whether this career | | | | dissertation including your own original research. |
| is right for you. As a cognitive psychologist you | | | | After the many years of schooling are complete, |
| will be involved with the study of mental | | | | you will need to become certified by the |
| processes such as decision-making, language, | | | | American Board of Professional Psychology to |
| learning functions, memory and all the other | | | | work as a cognitive psychologist. Your credentials |
| complex functions of the human computing | | | | will be reviewed, and you will need to submit |
| system known as the brain. The training will be | | | | paperwork in addition to the passage of a lengthy |
| research-intensive, and you will need to spend at | | | | exam. Experience from internships and laboratory |
| least seven years at school full time to earn a | | | | research will pay off when you get to this point, |
| bachelor's degree, master's degree and PhD, if not | | | | as you will have a much easier time getting a job |
| more. If you are fascinated by how the brain | | | | with some experience to back up your |
| works and want to make a difference in the | | | | knowledge. |
| world, however, it will be worth it. | | | | As a cognitive psychologist you can find work in |
| The courses in a cognitive psychology program | | | | academic settings as a professor or lecturer, and |
| include cognitive processes, language development, | | | | in private sector settings as a researcher. You will |
| perception and statistics. Students often get a | | | | also be qualified to work as a counselor or |
| Bachelor of Science in psychology, and then go on | | | | therapist, but your training will really be above this. |
| for the more specialized graduate degree in | | | | Your starting salary may be less than $40,000, |
| cognitive psychology. During this time you will | | | | but after five years you can earn more than |
| need to teach undergraduate courses and submit | | | | $70,000, and after 20 years you may earn more |
| a master's thesis at the end. Then you will need | | | | than $90,000 annually. |
| to move on to a PhD program, where research | | | | |